Lightning Sign F Alexey Liponov to Entry-Level Deal

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Alexey Lipanov to a three-year, entry-level contract today, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced.

Lipanov, 18, split time between Dynamo Balashikha of Russia’s VHL and HK MVD Balashikha of the MHL last season. With Dynamo Balashikha, Lipanov recorded three goals and five assists in 21 regular season games and added three assists in six playoff games. With HK MVD, he had three assists in 11 games. The 6-foot, 169-pound forward skated in seven games for Team Russia at the World U-18 Junior Championships, recording three assists.

The Moscow, Russia native skated in one preseason game with the Lightning on September 19 when the Bolts took on the Carolina Hurricanes. Lipanov recorded two shots on goal in the game. He also played in three games during the Lightning’s rookie tournament in Nashville.

Lipanov was selected by the Lightning in the third round, 76th overall, at the 2017 NHL Draft.